181. Floors 32~33

[The recommended party size for this ordeal is 8 members.]

Once again, I ignore it and begin alone.

Whoosh!!

Consciousness fades as my body is transported.

***

"Kwooooooah!!!!"

"Kwaaaaak!!"

Distant screams of humans and monsters mingle together.

A place filled with the chaotic clashing of iron and flesh, mixed with the stench of blood and filth.

'A battlefield.'

The theme of Floor 32's ordeal is:

'Subjugation'

[You are the mercenary captain of the Cromwell Unit. Assist the lord in defeating the enemies.]

A very simple explanation.

This time it's not a complex ordeal, but a clean pure combat trial.

'In my past life I just killed one boss mob and finished, but this seems slightly longer.'

Stopping my thoughts, I survey the battlefield.

Defenders were fighting orcs along the castle walls, while our flanking force appeared to have circled around to ambush the orcs from the side.

Our circling force wasn't just my mercenary unit.

Several other mercenaries, adventurers, the lord's elite knights, conscripts-thousands of soldiers seemed ready for a full assault.

The number of orcs... is massive. No end in sight.

Disorderly charging orcs stretch endlessly through a narrow canyon. The plan seemed to be wiping them out in one ambush, even at the cost of some defenders.

The castle walls were quite high and sturdy. Since the stupid orcs came without siege weapons, the lord must have felt confident striking their rear.

Looking back, mercenaries armed with various weapons were positioned behind me.

Frankly, I don't expect much from them. They all looked somewhat frightened, as if this was their first such battle.

"This is madness... An ambush but fighting orcs on open plains... The lord has gone insane..."

If I'd come with party members, these human wall-like people would've been replaced. Of course, they're not wrong. Trained orc warriors are terrifying beings that can take on 5-10 ordinary humans.

'Well, I'll win anyway...'

I crouch behind a rock, observing the orc army again.

Just then, I hear faint sneering from behind.

"Ha, why's this bitch pointlessly participating here? Should just go home and pop out more kids."

"Look at those plump asscheeks-makes me want to fuck her right here."

"Using her as a whore to boost morale would give us better odds."

They snicker while sexually harassing me, but my mercenary unit members just stare at my ass without defending me.

"...Tch."

'Just wait. I'll show you.'

I ignore them and wait for the attack order.

Finally.

The end of the orc horde becomes visible, showing an enormous mass of orcs densely packed beneath the castle walls.

Everyone tenses anticipating the next command,

Bwooooooooo~~!!!

At the sound of a massive horn, the assault begins.

"All forces!!! ATTACK!!!!!"

Following the general's booming voice, battle cries erupt everywhere as prepped arrows and cheap magic bombard the orcs.

"Chargeeeee!!!"

I sprint at the very front.

"Come forth, Bicorn!"

Hiiiiing!!!

I lightly leap onto Bicorn's back as it materializes, charging forward.

"Wh-what is that?!"

"Wait, charging alone is suicide..."

[Roar]

Hiiiiiiiiing!!!!

Bicorn's roar that debuffs lower-tier monsters shakes heaven and earth, startling both orcs and allies.

[Charge]

Alone, faster than anyone, charging like lightning.

Bicorn's heavy gallop makes the ground tremble.

Dudududududu!!!!

The terrified faces of the supposedly brave orc warriors rapidly approach,

Pababababababam!!!

Scattering with a powerful shockwave.

2m-tall orc warriors fly apart like toothpicks, their frontline instantly collapsing.

'Now my turn!'

As momentum slows,

I channel energy into my spear and swing lightly, cleaving through orcs lunging at Bicorn like water.

Cutting through their tough hides and bones, I breach the orc horde's center alone.

'This is cavalry combat!'

The supposedly fearless orcs scramble away from me and Bicorn, trampling each other in chaos.

A single person reduces the elite orc army to a disorganized mob.

This is the Lu Bu-style(?) tactic.

All strategies crumble before overwhelming power.

"Kwoooaar!! I'll handle this!!!"

'Finally showed up.'

The orc horde's leader.

Not quite an Orc Lord... just a slightly stronger orc warrior.

"Let's go, Bicorn. Crush him!"

Of course, I'd conserved energy for this moment.

I stack 8 buff layers on myself and Bicorn.

With 20% reduced Divine Power consumption, I can manage it more comfortably now.

Dududududu!!!

Bicorn-now twice as strong-crushes surrounding orcs like eggs as we charge.

The orc leader panics upon meeting Bicorn's red eyes.

He hadn't expected this level of power.

"Kwo...?"

Thunk!!

Bicorn's horns pierce the stunned orc leader's heart, tossing him skyward.

Hiiiiiiing!!!

The massive black horse's roar fills the leaderless orc army with despair.

Seizing this perfect collapse in formation, the subjugation force begins their ambush.

"N-now!! Don't let a single one escape!!!"

Even battle-loving orcs won't challenge a dragon.

Meaning they still understand fear and know their place.

Right now, Bicorn and I are practically dragon-level to them.

We recklessly unleash our presence while rampaging through the orc ranks.

The surrounded orcs have nowhere to flee.

Orcs fleeing individually get easily slaughtered by humans. Those staying to fight get torn apart like paper by me.

Orc blood and flesh scatter everywhere.

"Kwooo..."

Despair-filled groans echo through the battlefield.

*

Ten minutes later.

All were dead except a few surrendered orcs.

A massive victory against thousands of orcs.

"Waaaah!! Long live Cromwell Mercenary Captain!!!"

"H-hail!!! She fought like a demon...!!!"

"Th-thank you!!! We owe you our lives!"

The ordeal concludes as those who sexually harassed me earlier now desperately praise me while drenched in sweat.

"Heh..."

[Ding~]

[Cleared Floor 32 ordeal. Solo play boosts reward grade.]

Whoosh~~!

I exit the chaotic battlefield straight into the waiting room.

"So, the reward...?"

[A-grade reward granted.]

"Tch, only that?"

Since the difficulty was apparently B-grade, the reward is merely A. Of course, I'll still get S-grade thanks to my trait.

"I'll take the reward and head straight to the next floor~"

- Suddenly speedrunning??

- That was refreshing fr

- But no orc sex this time

- Gonna reach Floor 40 in one go?

- Showing us old Lee Do-hee?

- If not for possession-type ordeals she'd be at Floor 70 already lol

- Is this an ordeal or a stroll?

- Now THIS is a charge!

Reading viewers' admiring comments, I flip the card at once.

Tada!

<Steelwood Piano>

A piano made from rare steelwood.

Its soothing melodies are exceptionally charming.

[Special Stat]

Healing Power +1

<Black Dragon Unit's Combat Horse Armor>

Equippable only by horses.

◇ Weight +20%

◇ Strength +50

◇ Defense +100

◇ Armor Defense: 300

"Oh... horse armor? Perfect since none were on the market. Guess my 'Life-Changing Trait' made this S-grade."

After successful ordeals, summons return to the waiting room with no cooldown.

I equip the armor on Bicorn, still trembling with battle excitement in the waiting room.

Note: Summons have equivalent equipment slots to their masters.

Terms and positions slightly differ-stirrups for boots, bit for headgear-but slots align automatically.

"No need to delay! Let's go!"

[The recommended party size for Floor 33 is 8 members.]

Whoosh!!

Again, I challenge it alone for solo rewards.

***

Blink!

My eyes snap open to a strange sensation.

'Low gravity.'

About... 70% of Earth's?

Too early for space combat ordeals...

[You are an explorer of Alpha Exploration Team. Retrieve the target artifact and return to base.]

Floor 33's ordeal theme is 'Grave Robbing'.

'Target artifact... so I need to steal that thing.'

Looking down, I wear a thick spacesuit amidst alien terrain.

Orange wasteland-like ground. Dust storms slightly obscure visibility-about 500m sight range.

Bizarre stacked stones surround the area, with large and small craters suggesting past impacts.

Further away stands a massive triangular structure resembling a pyramid.

The map on my suit's upper left shows the pyramid as my destination.

I'm the sole explorer.

I could communicate with one person presumably in the spaceship.

Bzzt... Bzzzt...

[Destination is 300m ahead.]

He seems the silent type-only speaking when necessary. Or maybe we're awkward acquaintances.

I walk while adapting to the low gravity.

Thud, thud...

A precariously balanced stone tower collapses when I accidentally touch it.

[...We're on a covert mission. Avoid leaving traces.]

"Yes..."

I proceed quietly.

Spreading energy to sense surroundings reveals nothing unusual except one problem:

The pyramid's interior is undetectable.

'What's this...'

Up close, the walls appear made of special alloy bricks. Breakable with effort, but no need when intact doors exist.

I stand before a massive 5m-wide entrance.

'Huge.'

[Place your wrist scanner against the panel to open. Communications will cut when doors close. You're on your own then. Good luck.]

Beep.

Grrrrrrrrr...

Long-unused massive doors slide open sideways.

As warned, entering and letting doors shut severs communications and map support.

I'm left alone in silent darkness.

Turning on headlights and a thigh-mounted flashlight reveals no path ahead.

Instead, car-sized underground stairs descend endlessly into darkness.

"......"

'Come to think of it-I don't know the difficulty?'

Why so many die in the Tower.

Why so many become Tower Ghosts.

You never know the difficulty until experiencing it.

A sliver of anxiety grows.